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This paper will discuss, compare, and contrast current materials, designs, and manufacturing options for fuel filler doors. Also, it will explore the advantages of using conductive thermoplastic substrates over other materials that are commonly used in the fuel filler door market today. At the outset, the paper will discuss the differences between traditional steel fuel filler doors, which use an on-line painting process, and fuel filler doors that use a conductive thermoplastic substrate and require an in-line or off-line painting process. After reviewing the process, this paper will discuss material options and current technology. Here, we will highlight key drivers to thermoplastics acceptance, and look at the cost saving opportunities presented by the inline paint process option using a conductive thermoplastic resin, as well as benefits gained in quality control, component storage and coordination.

The demands of modern society continue to drive automotive design to greater efficiency and cleaner operation at lower cost. Higher operating temperatures are now typically required to meet these demands, making the use of more robust materials and joining techniques a necessity. This paper describes how the benefits of reduced emissions and greater fuel economy along with quieter operation are achieved by using silicon-molybdenum modified ductile iron exhaust manifolds welded to close-coupled 400 series stainless steel catalyst cans. This weldment is made possible by using a newly-developed stabilized Ni-Fe-Mn-Cr-Cb welding wire called NI-ROD® Filler Metal 44HT. Durability testing of fabricated exhaust components under extreme dynamometer testing has shown that this welding material provides successful higher temperature performance by the ductile iron than that provided by previous weldments of the same iron.